Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Normally this is a Doctor Z thing, and I won't now how much he contributed until I receive the issue, but SI forwarded me a snippet of their Media Reviews for 2008 and I wanted to pass it along. They handed out awards for various things like best books, movies and documentaries, but here's the important one....Who are America's favorite announcers....

I have no idea why they listed Vin Scully twice, or if someone's missing, but other than that....I can't really find anything wrong with the list. I wouldn't personally say that Bob Papa is my favorite NFL announcer, but people seem to be taking a shine to him on the NFL Network.

I'll have more on SI's reviews when the issue comes out, and I'll have my own end of the year post up soon.

Bob Papa!? Sitting through one of his games on NFL network is like sitting through an hour of detention being lectured by a cross school marm in the old west circa 1910. I mean shit, the guy never cracks a smile, is always super curt with his partner, and just generally is way too annoyed it seems. Its a game - make it enjoyable for me to listen to and relax with! God, talk about NY Bias. Bob Papa isnt just whatever, he's noticeably annoying.

The double Vin Scully could just be a way of saying they like him in the booth alone...that he's better working alone (as he does for FSN West/PrimeTicket) than having an Analyst in the booth with him.

Re: John's comment about Vin Scully:I have the magazine in front of me, and Scully is listed twice: "The Dodgers have all you need." It says a lot about Scully maintaining such a high level of quality for so long...as well as nobody else apparently being good enough to be listed with him(Jon Miller's stock seems to have fallen nationally).

Always nice to see Ron Franklin get the appreciation he deserves for being one of the best in the college football business. Mark Jones also really grew on me this year. I like the Jones/Davie pairing and hope that ESPN recognizes that they deserve some higher level games.

Rick James Bible Owner said... I'm sure that's supposed to be Rod Allen in place of Vin Scully's second mention, AA.--------------------------------You get on with your bad self. Keep bringin' that filthy, nasty, change piece.

Has anyone here ever heard Brian Hayward do a hockey game? Talk about pompous blowhard. And he does Ducks games...so who exactly voted for him?

I also still don't know how people question Marv as the best NBA play-by-play man out there. Not to take anything away from Breen, but Marv can make a game feel big, and that's something the NBA needs.

Bob Papa will always sound like the boxing guy to me, he also sounds distracted, like he's eating or reading a book and remembers that he needs to say something...

He needs Teddy Atlas elbowing him and shadow boxing to keep on his game.

The only one I will give an award to this year is Dan Fouts, because he talks football and not five minute National Enquirer relationship gossip essays like Simms, the giggling Aikman and all the other flaming douchebags.

Sad statement on US-based hockey announcers that the best PBP man doesn't work for an American network. Hughson's finally getting his due landing on CBC's top HNIC team this year. He's great, but unless you have Center Ice or live in a market like Buffalo or Detroit and get CBC on your cable, you'd only know him from EA's NHL XX series of games.

Vin Scully is listed twice because he does play-by-play and color. Look at the list - the first people listed are all play-by-play, then color. They're saying that Scully is both the best play-by-play guy and color guy in MLB - which isn't insane.

Ian Eagle and Gus Johnson are my favorites, but as I've watched NFL Network's broadcats, I think Papa is excellent as well. Because Herbstreit condones the BCS, I cannot in good faith rate him highly, although Todd Blackledge is the best college football analyst out there. Tastes of the town best hypothetical BC$ situations anyday.